Staff At French Apple Store Threatening To Strike Over Pay On iPhone 5 Launch Day

If you live in Paris, France, and you’re hoping to bag an iPhone 5 from your local Apple store on Friday morning, you may get there to find that it’s closed. Workers at two Parisian stores are reportedly threatening to strike over pay on what could be Apple’s busiest retail day in the company’s history.

Mac Generation reports that the staff are demanding pay rises, as well as a water fountain and lunch vouchers. They are said to be unhappy over Apple’s salary grid, and the disparity in pay for the same jobs. Furthermore, one of the stores is said to be in an expensive part of the city, hence the request for lunch vouchers.

As part of the protest, the staff are currently wearing bracelets to work that have the word “Believe” on them.

According to the report, discussions over these matters were underway back in July, but it would seem that the workers failed to meet a satisfactory agreement with Apple.

There are just 13 Apple stores in France, two of which are in Paris. If those two stores cannot open on Friday because staff are on strike, it leaves would-be iPhone 5 buyers who didn’t pre-order online stuck without Apple’s latest smartphone until they open again — and who knows when that could be. Though I’m assuming Apple will want to rectify this situation before it comes to that.

Deals of the Day

Fire em all. I’m sure there is literally a stack of applications and resumes of people wanting to work at the Apple Store at current wages and benefits.

ramunasbl

it depends on Apple practices. If Apple pays more for stuff working during “super days” then yes French guys must get paid for it. However, if there is no such practice – they are no better just because they are French. If one do not want to work – step aside and good place will never stays empty.

nthnm

@ramunasbl It doesn’t depend on Apple’s practices. It depends on the law or the norm in France. Very few companies operate the exact same in every country they do business in.

marioyohanes

Tim Cook need to fire the new retail VP pronto! Too much bad publications for Apple retail lately. Exactly what I was worried about when Cook hire this new guy.

WolfgangLW

France has very strict labour laws. I hope they can come to a solution that is fair to all involved, including consumers.

technochick

The pay and water fountain might be legit but the lunch thing doesn’t seem so. If its too expensive to go out, bring your own. Just Ike evey other store in the retail world. Expecting your boss to buy you lunch every day is just wacked.

Now if they are complaining because the laws don’t require a break room, frig, lockers or such to make bringing your lunch feasible that’s a different game. And worthy of complaining. But it sounds like that is not an issue

technochick

France has very strict labour laws. I hope they can come to a solution that is fair to all involved, including consumers.

And I hope these staff members have checked those laws. Because it would suck if it turns out that they have zero protection under the law if they no show a shift and are fired over it.

RaptorOO7

Perhaps they need some cheese to go with their whining, they could have that for lunch. They were hired to do a job, they know Apple has big launch days throughout the year and if they don’t want the job leave. Its really that simple. In today’s economy there are limits to what should be expected and what you can rightly expect but demanding lunch vouchers because you are in a pricey part of town, seriously just brown bag it.